How to choose quality furniture

‘Real wood’ vs. ‘solid wood’: Furniture makers use a lot of misleading terms, so watch out for them. A phrase like “real wood” or “cherry-colored wood” is often code for a composite material. Look instead for “solid wood” or mention of the particular type of solid wood, with hardwoods preferable to pine or poplar.

The joinery: “Joinery can be a tip-off to the quality and longevity of a piece of furniture.” The best pieces use dovetail joints and mortise and tenon—wood-on-wood joinery. Look also for drawer guides that prevent drawers from tipping when they’re pulled out.

Leather labels: “Full-grain” leather is the most durable, while “top-grain” leather is softer, because the hide’s tough outer layer has been removed. The term “genuine leather” sometimes refers to “bonded leather,” which is made from ground-up hide bound together with glue. Source: The Associated Press

And for those who have everything…

Hate mowing the lawn? “There’s finally a robot that will do it for you.” Meet the Honda Miimo, an automated mower that’s like an outdoor Roomba. Once a Honda representative installs a boundary wire, the mowbot can trim the grass on its own, even returning to its dock when it needs to recharge. The Miimo is designed to run frequently, trimming just a little with each pass and leaving behind light clippings that reintegrate into the lawn and act as fertilizer. Two models are available—one that can mow a half-acre between charges and another that covers three-quarters of an acre.